Hot days on Poverty Hill

Hello Everyone,
Hope everyone is doing good, Lordy it's been hot here on Poverty Hill, looks like we're in for a hoooooooottttttt summer this year down south. Went down to the creek yesterday and the fish were even sweating.......now thats hot......laffin. I've gone into my summer mode now, I get outside early in the morning and late in the afternoon, I just can't handle the heat like I could before. I'm sort of lost though, this is the first year in a long time that I haven't planted a vegetable garden, this was due to my being sick and not able to do it..I'm sure lost though, cause I don't have an excuse to go to the garden and lean on my hoe...Oh well there's always next year.
I've been watching the news a lot lately and it seems this country is getting into a big mess. The main thing I'm concerned with is that it seems that the people of the US have absolutely no say so in anything. I've heard it blamed on Democrats and I've heard it blamed on Republicans.....and no one seems to know how to fix the problem. Thats the main thing that bothers me, our country is severly screwed with all the politicians that we have in office because none of them seem to know anything except that its not their fault. I think we need to fire em all and just hire a new bunch, Democrats and Republicans. Maybe then someone would know something. I really hate to complain but I've been around long enough to watch this country go from the most powerful nation in the world, that everyone loved and wanted to come to.......to one of the most hated and the least popular in the world. Now how the hell did that happen...........? OK, i won't harp on politics because thats a whole new can of worms.
One thing that I'd like to mention is that I lost a good friend, a twenty year old young man that was wise way beyond his years. He lost the fight to Pulmary Hypertension a few days ago and it has shocked everyone in our PH family. He was a very popular young man that had touched the lives of many, all who knew him loved him and admired his strength and courage. Mason Hoffman we will miss you my friend.
Well I guess i need to get going and make sure everything is going on just the way it should on Poverty Hill. If yall ever by this way be sure to stop by, our door is always open to our friends.

Hugz N Handshakes

TW

Another Day In Paradise

Hey Everybody, welcome back to my ramblings on Poverty Hill. Lordy it's been so hot around here the roosters won't even get up in the mornings, much less do their Cocka Doodle Do's. I've been getting up way earlier than I like to, just to go outside and stir around a lil bit. By 9 O'clock its already getting time to go back inside and do the air conditioning thang. Of course I throw fits and tell Miss Judi that I'm fine outside but I know better than to fuss with her cause she always wins, so I just tell her I was about to come in anyway. It's a man thang, I can't let her know I'm doing what she said...LOL. I went down to the pond yesterday and lordy that thang was so grown up with grass you could hardly get to it, I guess I'll have to break out the bushog mower and cut around it, in the cool of the afternoon for sure. I'm bout ready for a big fish fry. Get the family all together and go catch a mess and cook em, MMmmmmmmmmm ain't nothing any better than that. Bass, Brim, Catfish, french fries, hushpuppys.......Lordy makes my mouth water just to think about it. All yall city folks just don't know what ya missing, maybe yall can stop by some time and we'll do it up right for ya. Of course another thing I noticed while I was ramblin around was that it's the time of the year for snakes to be crawling around, Lordy I hate those dang thangs, another good reason for me to keep it cut around the pond. Of course with all the PH drugs that I'm taking if one bit me it'd probably kill it.....laffin.
Well it feels good to be off that Sub Q Remodulin I was on, now I am getting back to my old self and not having to suffer through all that pain......shhessssssshhh..I can't understand why any doctor would put his patient through that crap. My new Hickman is Painless and I'm still taking Remodulin through it so........everything is gettin better on Poverty Hill. Well except the fact that I haven't heard anything from the President on the bailout money that I needed for Poverty Hill, I guess they used mine for General Motors, oh well, even though its hard to understand that they wouldn't rush to help a thriving community like Poverty Hill, MS, I guess they need to help the little people like GM and the Big Banks.
I'm not really a big Obama fan but he is our President and I'll support him as all American citizens should, but I'm really starting to wonder where he's going with all this. I guess we'll see.
While I'm on here and doing my thang I just wanted to throw out my thanks to everyone for their support and prayers while I've been sick. I truly love and care for all my PHriends and words just can't express my gratitude.....Hugzzzzz and Handshakes to all of Ya.
Well the time has flown by so I guess I need to get off this computer machine and get to my Mayoral duties that I've neglected for so long a time, it's a wonder that this vast thriving community hasn't gone to the dogs since I've been gone. Thats OK though I'll have everything under control shortly. If yall over our way remember that our door is always open to our friends.

Hugzz and Handshakes

TW

Home Again.............

Hey Everybody, it's been a while since I blogged, I'm not sure if I still can...LOL.
Thangs around Poverty Hill are a mess, the chickens forgot who I was, the grass is knee high, I haven't been able to take Levi riding in his truck, just everything has gotten behind. Thats OK though, I'll get it all taken care of now that I'm starting to feel better. Today is the first day that I've felt like doing much of anything, so now Miss Judi will have to slow me down to make sure I don't overdo thangs. We've had a couple of rough months, with the PH thingy but we're gonna be just fine. I got of the hospital yesterday and had to go by one of my buddy's and get a fishin report, seems like theres a bunch of em callin my name, so I'll have to break out the old fishin rods and get to the creek pretty soon. Lordy, there's so much I need to get done though, ya know when ya leave things undone for a few months it tends to get in a mess. Now I hope that Miss Judi can calm her nerves and get back to normal, she's been like a cat on a hot tin roof.
It's been great getting back home and relaxing, the hospital is no place to get any rest. No more 2am and 3 am blood draws or temperatures. A hospital is the only place I know where they wake you up to ask if you need anything to help you sleep.....go figure.....laffin.
Well I can't think of much to blog about as I've been outta commission for a while, there hasn't much been going on but I'm glad to get back home and am waving at every one of you who dropped by to see me. Thanks for all the prayers and thoughts while I have been sick. Hugz to all of ya.
Yall come when ya can, our door is always open to our friends.

Hugz N Handshakes

TW

The Hospital Stay

Hello Everyone, Greeting from the Mayoral Staff of Poverty Hill, (Judi and TW). Well the past few weeks have been, howz the best way to put it, "Eventful". I've been poked, prodded, wired, drilled, cut, beat, slammed, snatched, tested, sucked, and a lot of other thangs that I dare not mention. It's been a helluva month for us. Miss Judi took me and checked me into one of those hospitals and they put me in something they call an ICU. Ya know there wuz a bunch of sick people in there and I really didn't feel like I belonged there. Anyway my Doc drilled a hole in my neck and put a wierd looking contraption in that he called a Swan Ganz so that he could keep a check on the pressures between my heart and lungs. Let me tell you somethin, that hurt like crazy, felt like he was jerking my neck clean out but I guess I've had worse. Anyway I had gained something like 16 pounds in just 2 or 3 days so I knew somethin was wrong cause I hadn't been eatin that much. Now I love to eat, don't get me wrong but I hadn't eaten nearly that much...... They started some IV Lasix and Lordy the first night I was there I lost 8 pounds and then 6 pounds the next day. Now I know there's lots of folks that wish they could loose that much weight that fast, but Lordy it sho nuff left me weak.
Well the first night I was there they brought me a plate that didn't have enuff on it to keep a chicken alive. I looked at it and asked the nurse if that was just a snack and she laffed at me, then she told me nope, that was my meal. Yall it just made me that much hungrier. She was a cutie so I wuz nice to her and told her thank you. Well the next morning they brought me another one of those chicken meals with just enuff to wet my appetite. Lordy yall they wuz starving me to death, I knew I'd die of starvation before I got well from all my other stuff.....laffin. Anyway, you know they have those strict rules in the ICU and won't let peeps come and go as they would like to so Miss Judi and Steve and Shane our two boys had to come in at certain times. You know bein a man and all, I'm just about worthless unless I have Judi to tell me when and when not to do things, so I just flirted and laffed and had a good ole time with the nurses until they told me I'd have to be a little quieter that I'd get em into trouble. On the second night I was in prison ICU I told Shane and Steve to bring me a cheeseburger that these people wuz starvin me to death. Man when they came in I smelled the cheese when they came in to outer doors to the ICU..woooohooooooooooo food. The boys came in with a big ole double meat with cheese that looked better than any steak I'd ever laid my eyes on. I unwrapped that baby, checked to make sure all the goodies were on it and before I could sink my teeth into the first bite a big ole nurse came outta nowhere. She reached across my bed to snatch my hot tasty big ole cheeseburger telling me that I couldn't have anything like that. Well yall that made me so dayum mad I could've spit fire....laffin. I told that nurse, "Just try and take this dayum cheeseburger from me and we're gonna have a helluva fight"........LMAO......the thing is I wuz dayum serious about it...LOL. She didn't know whether to crap or go blind, she saw that I was mad as hell....Yall I wuz starvin. Anyway to make the story short my sons took the cheeseburger from me with me clawin and beggin and grabbin for it, and told me that the nurse knew what I could and couldn't have and they didn't want to do anything that would make me worse. I watched with my mouth waterin and droolin for that big ole cheeseburger as they took it away, with my poor ole stomach growlin and groanin and quickly reached and grabbed a handful of fries and threw em in my mouth before they do get em........I wuz desperate.....laffin. I gave the nurse my best evil eye, the one that say you need to get ur butt outta here right now, as she left the room. I guess it worked because I never saw her again while I was there.
Well the doc got most of the fluid off me and told me that my pressures had improved since I started taking the Remodulin, which was very good news. He released me and gave me a bunch of new meds and told me that I'd be started on oxygen. I feel much better now and am glad to be home on Poverty Hill where I rule the roost when Miss Judi lets me.
Glad you could stop by and see me, if yall ever over this way be sure and stop by, my door is always open to my friends.

Hugzz and Handshakes

TW

I'm back..........Sorta

Hello everyone, glad you could drop by and visit. Things here on Poverty Hill are in low gear right now. The chickens are starving, the hound dogs won't hunt, and the Mayor has just been sitting around doing nothing letting the hill run wild. Nope its not the recession, the Mayor of Poverty Hill has been a little under the weather. As many of you know the Mayor has Pulmonary Hypertension and its throwing a few curveballs in his political and social activities. Its not a big thang, just another one of lifes adventures. Theres a medicine that is given 24/7 called Remodulin, which is given in a somewhat painful way, well you know the Mayor hates pain so it's just about whipped him.........You say whatta wuss.......Oh contraire, he's a tuff ole dude, as his friend Jen says, almost comparable to superman, but not quite. Anyway he's going to be fine and I'm sure will be ready to conquer the world.........well maybe the county.....LOL. I'd hate to start off too big.
I just wanted to take this time to thank all my family and PHriends for caring and for their prayers through these hard times. I love you all!!!!!!!
Maybe when I get where I can concentrate I can think of stuff to write but right now...well I'll just hurt for a while.......grinz.....
Thanks for stopping by, remember if you're ever over this way, my door is always open to my friends.

Hugzz and Handshakes

TW(Terry)

Life is good

Heyz to everyone. Welcome back to my lil blog. I'm about ready to do my lil hospital thingy and am anxious to get it over with. Just another thang in the HO HUM life of a PH'er. Laffin don't get me wrong, every day I wake up is a good day.
Heck if I croaked tomorrow, I've saw more things already in my lifetime than most people would ever see. I spent 30 years in the military and have been places most people can't imagine, and done things that I'd never have done if not in the military. So what have I got to complain about....laffin, well with the exception of having PH.
I have a loving wife that has stood by me every step of the way, through the good and the bad and has been my crutch and strength the whole time. She's been my best friend and a wonderful mother to our children. She's been my strength in getting through all this PH, the operations, the different drugs, the doctors, I mean everything. So what have I got to complain about, except PH.
I have two wonderful sons that have also stood by me and put up with all the moving from place to place, the long periods Dad was away from home and now support me through this crappy disease called PH. So what have I got to complain about? Just having PH.
I've made many new friends through PHA that have been a tremendous help to Judi and myself in understanding this disease and supporting us as though we've been friends forever. I thank them and love them very much. So what have I got to complain about. Just having PH.
Overall I guess life has been good, I've got a great wife, wonderful sons, caring and loving friends so what have i got to complain about?......Not a Dayum thang!
Thanks for coming by and if you're ever around my neck of the woods make sure you stop by, the door is always open to my friends.

Hugs N Handshakes

TW

More Ramblings from TW

Heyz to everyone, thanks for stoppin by. I haven't been bloggin much lately, I've just been a little under the weather. Miss Judi has been makin me stay pretty close to home so she can keep an eagle eye on me. Sometimes she can be a pretty tough cookie. Looks like I'm gonna have to check into the hospital and get a lil plumbing installed on the 25th of Feb, I'm gonna try to get em to overhaul me while I'm in there. As most of you know I have Pulmonary Hypertension and its gotten to the point that oral meds aren't doing any good so they're gonna put a Hickman Catheter in me and start me on Remodulin. Hopefully these new meds will make me run like a Chevy.....lol. Anyway thats enuff about me.
Have yall ever seen such screwed up weather in ya life. One day it's freezin cold and the next ya have to run the A/C. What ever happened to the old days when we used to have seasons. And this year with all the record breaking cold temperatures, people dying from exposure and all that. Ya know in my younger days people could cope with things like that because you could always build a fire to stay warm, but nowadays everyone doesn't have fireplaces and most everything is dependent on electricity, which we all know is the first thing to go it seems like. Don't get me wrong I think the guys and gals who work at the Power Companys do a great job, but no one can control the weather, or falling limbs, ya know things like that.
Well I'm ramblin again huh, laffin, they say thats what crazy people do, if thats so I'm complety insane.....lol.
Well i guess i need to get off this puter and do some chores before checkin in to the Med motel next week. If yall don't hear from me for a while I'll be incognito, but I'll be back as soon as I can. Thanks for droppin in, and remember if you're ever this way be sure to stop in, my door is always open to my friends.

Huggz N Handshakes

Terry (TW)

Just Rambling

Hello everyone, hope all of ya are doing good. Things on Poverty Hill have been sorta quiet and laid back since hunting season is over. I've been catching up on my rest. The truth is I'm glad hunting season is over, I was gave slam out. Gettin up at 4 am every morning and hunting untill dark was getting old quick. Both my boys love hunting as well as my oldest Grandson so I figure I have to get up and go with em. Anyway now I can rest up, well that is after I catch up on the honeydo's that I neglected while hunting season was in.

I've been reading and watching on TV about the record colds that they're having up North, isn't that just terrible? I just absolutely could not live in that kind of weather, I'd make a terrible Eskimo. I was talking to someone the other day and they were saying, "Oh they are used to that kind of weather, they were raised in it."
Well I disagree with that, I don't think they've had all the power outages and water outages like they've been having lately. This is serious business when its freezing cold and you have no heat, thats life threatening. I know how the power outages are because of the hurricances we have down here and its terrible, but the fact that its freezing cold up there makes it so much worse to me. I feel for the people up there and pray that they all make it through these hard times ok. I think they need to take some of that bailout money the government is throwing away on these banks and buy everyone up there a generator so that they can stay warm and eat, it'd be a whole lot cheaper and do a helluva lot more good for the people.

Well its that time again, for those of you that don't know I have Pulmonary Hypertension and once or twice a year us PHer's have to have a right heart cath to check the pressure between our heart and lungs. Well its time that time again and although the procedure isn't very painful, I'm dreading getting it done. I know my pressures have gone up again due to the distance I can walk have gotten much shorter and my ability to do certain things has declined. Oh well, my doc was wanting to put me on a different medicine, looks like the time has come...we'll see after the heart Cath. Its just the fact that the options are getting slimmer. The meds he's talking about is called Remodulin, which is taken Sub-Q or by Catheter. Anyway that enuff about that, I'll cross that road when I get to it. It's nothing but a thang.

I've been reading the PHA boards more here lately now that hunting season is over and I see that there's lots of newbies to PH posting. I can remember when I first started posting and asking questions, so I know how scared most to them are. I hate seeing new people join us but I'm glad they found their way to us so that they know they are not alone. I wish I could be of more help to them, but I try to help in any way that I can. Maybe in some way to repay the help that PHA and its member have given me.

Well, I'm ramblin all over the place so i recon I need to just shut up.....laffin.
Best wishes to all of ya from Poverty Hill, ya come when ya can, the door is always open to my friends.

Hugs N Handshakes

TW(Terry)

Catchin Up

Hello Everyone! It's been a while since I've blogged so I thought I'd sit down and scribble a few tidbits. Not much has been going on here on Poverty Hill, the weather seems to be all screwed up this year, it doesn't know whether it wants to be hot or cold. For the last month or two we've had lots of company, LOL, we always do during hunting season. Somehow my sons can get away from their busy schedules that they have the rest of the year to show up around here during hunting season...laffin.
Well, whatever it takes to get em here...
My duck hunting and deer hunting is about over, as much as I enjoy it, I'm sorta glad to see it come to an end, now maybe I can rest a while. My body has about give outta gas, my get up and go is almost gone. I don't think Miss Judi recognizes me any more I've been hunting so much. Anyway now I can take time to catch up reading everyones blogs and reading PHA's Bulletin board.
I'll try and write more a little later, right now I've got the brain cramp and my brain isn't operating too good, must be a PH thing (good excuse anyway).
Guess I'll get to my chores that have been on hold for about a month. Yall come when ya can, the door is always open to my friends.

Hugs N Handshakes

TW

Off to a New Year

Greetings my friends, glad you could stop by. Well it's 2009, a new year has begun and hopefully we will all have a good one. By watching the news on TV I am sorta sceptical about the year. Seems like we have a lot going on as far as our country's financial situation, I'm glad I'm not the new President, he's gonna have his hands full. I wish us all good luck!
Well our New Years celebration on Poverty Hill went well. We had a hill full of people and everyone had a great time. All the kids enjoyed the fireworks and us old Geezers had a great time socializing and eating. Both my boys were here with their families so we had a house full. They stayed until Sunday and Miss Judi and I, although we enjoyed having them, were give slam out. If I'd heard Papa Terry one more time I'd have pulled all my hair out...(just joking, you know I loved it). I had forgotten how quiet it is on the Hill until they left, now i miss the noise and laughter. Its been a few days now and I'm about rested up so its time to get down to some serious deer hunting, that is if I can make myself get up, I was sorta lazy this morning and the bed felt sooooooooooooooooooooo good. Oh well, maybe tomorrow.
Everyone was asking what was my New Years resolution. Well the truth is I don't make em because I never keep em anyway. Its always great to say I'm gonna do this and I'm gonna do that but who ever really keeps em? Not many people I know. To those that have I say, congratulations, to the others I say welcome to the club..laffin.
This may not be the place to write this thank you because I'm sure noone at PHA reads my lil blog but I wanted to post a big "Thank You", to the Pulmonary Hypertension Association for the great job that they did the past year, keeping each of us updated on new medications and research, hosting the convention, and generally for the support they have given to each of us with this dreaded disease. Keep up the good work, every one of you working at the PHA is greatly appreciated.
Well I guess thats about all I got to say for now its time for me to get to my chores. Thanks to each of you that read my lil blog and sharing tidbits of my life up on Poverty Hill, yall come by when ya can, the door is always open to my friends.

Hugs N Handshakes

TW

New Years Tidings

Hello everyone, glad you could come by. Well here it is New Years Eve and another year has flown by. Seems like this one just got started, I guess the old saying is true, the older you get the faster they go. Well that's fine by me, at least they're still going. I thought maybe 2008 would be the year for a cure for PH but it didn't happen, oh well I'm sure 2009 will be fine. This year has been a real learning experience for me about Pulmonary Hypertension, I've learned more about the disease this year than I have since I got the mess. Through the Pulmonary Hypertension Association I've made lots of new friends and have learned how to reach out to others as we fight together against Pulmonary Hypertension so its been a pretty good year. I'm hoping this year is even better with new medications and more research coming out for us PH'ers.
Well tonights the night of the "Poverty Hill Bonfire." Every New Years Eve we have a big cookout and a big bonfire here on the Hill. There will be fireworks galore, good country cookin, and maybe a little firewater for the drinkers. Not much though until later because of the kids. The kids love it, all the fireworks, music, and marshmellows cooked over the fire. All the ahhhhhhhh's and oooohhhhhh's.
Laffin, I guess I'll spend all day tomorrow cleaning up the Hill, but it all worth it.
I mostly wanted to tell everyone "Happy New Year" and I hope you each have many more. Guess I better run for now, I still gotta haul more firewood for the bonfire.
Yall come when ya can the door is always open.

Hugz N Handshakes

TW

Happy Holidays

Heyz Everyone, thanks for coming by. Well its that time of the year again, so "Merry Christmas", Happy Holidays, or whatever your thang is for this time of the year. Here on Poverty Hill its "Merry Christmas". I honestly believe this time of the year produces more memories than any other time of the year. There are just all kinds of different feelings, happiness, excitement, wonder, and thrill, but there is also sadness and reflection as we remember loved ones and friends who have passed and will not be here. Remembrance of Christmas's past when they were with us is like a Christmas present that you will always have and as long as we have those memories in our hearts they will never be forgotten. So remember the good times you had with them but focus on the now, the memories we are about to make, and make sure it will be memories that you will always reflect back on.
Judi and I want to take time to wish each and every one that reads this a Happy Holiday and heartfelt thanks for being our friends and family. We are truly blessed to have each and every one of you. We hope that this holiday brings each of you happiness and good cheer, and wish you even more for the following year.
Remember, yall be good cause Santa Claus is watchin, and I want each of you to get what ya want for Christmas. Yall come when ya can, the door is always open to my friends. Oh and remember, Jesus is the reason for the season.

Hugs & Handshakes

TW

Christmas Magic

Heyz to everyone, hope you're all doing great. Well its my favorite time of the year again, Christmas. Judi and I both have always been worse than kids this time of the year. One thing that many of you may not know though is that I'm one of Santa's magical elves. Yep thats right TW the magical Santa's helper. Its well known in my family and the families of my friends that I have a "Santa's Magical Mailbox", and I"m tight with the jolly ole Santa, me being a magical elf and all. ....laffin. This all started about 20 years ago when one of my nieces wanted to write Santa a letter to let him know what she wanted. At the time she was about 4 years old, and was the number one Santa fan in the world. Being Santa's big elf buddy, I had to keep her informed year around as to what he and the rest of the elves at the North Pole were doing. Well I sat her down and helped her write Santa a letter, being sure not to leave out anything. We checked and double checked to make sure nothing had been left out, down to the accessories for Barbie and makeup.
Of course I helped her add things that she might want besides the ones she had already mentioned, being the professional elf that I am, and being in the know of the
stuff a lil girl like her might get. After the letter was all finished and Regan my niece had decided that she had everything written down, of course we had to draw the magical North Pole Star on the envelope, or it just would not go. Her eyes were all lit up and she had a grin so wide that I was sure her jaws were gonna burst. Yep it was time to go to the "Magical Santa's Mailbox". Excited was not the word for it, there just aren't any words to describe it. She was a little skeptical at first about me being a magical elf due to the fact that I was quite tall for an elf, but I quickly assured her that I shrank to elf size at midnight on Christmas Eve so that I could perform my Santa's elf duties. She was quick to take that as pure fact, due to the magic quarter I had in my pocket that turned me elf sized.
Anyway away we went to the road to the "Magical Santas Mailbox", Regan with her letter requesting all kinds of goodies held tight in her hand. By this time she had gathered up quite a crowd to come watch her send her letter to Santa in the "Magical Santa's Mailbox". Arriving at the mailbox she excitedly opened to mailbox door and put her letter in and turned to me and asked, Now what? I asked if she'd said the magic words to send the letter off and she replied no, that I had forgotten to tell them to her. Silly me, what kind of magical elf am I.....sheeshhhhh.
I told her that she had to be real serious and believe that the letter would go to Santa at the North Pole. Of course the trick was she had to close her eyes, turn three turns repeating "Go To Santa, Go To Santa, Go To Santa, and tap the "Magical Santas Mailbox" three times, but of course her yes MUST be closed tight. She did this perfectly and "Walllllllllaaaaaaaaaaaaaa" the letter was magically sent to Santa!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!She opened the box and the letter was gone and her mouth flew wide open in amazement, she jumped and screamed all excited telling everyone that her Uncle Terry really was a magical elf and we'd sent her letter to Santa in the "Magical Santa's Mailbox". Talk about making someones day.........laffin....it did mine.
Well the "Magical Santa's Mailbox" has sent many a letter to Santa since then, sons, nieces, nephews, friends children and many many more. Well now I have Grandchildren and I'm ready to break out the magical mailbox again, I don't know who looks more forward to it.........yes I do!!!!
Now i love listening to my kids, my neices and nephews all telling their children about me being a magical Santa's elf and the "Magical Santa's Mailbox". Their eyes still light up when telling about it. Ahh......the memories.
Well yall come when ya can, the door is always open to my friends.

Hugz N Handshakes

TW(Terry)

Reality Check

Hey Everyone, thanks for stopping by ole TW's lil blog. I've been doing the same trying to surf around and catch up on reading my friends blogs, which I enjoy very much. You can tell a lot about a person just by reading their blogs, well except mine because I never make a whole lotta sense.....laffin. Guess thats why I call it Rambling.
I learned to face a reality this past week that really upset me and just made me see that PH sucks even more than ever. About this time of the year my youngest son, Steve, and I go on our annual big Duck hunt up in the northern Delta part of the State. This is a once a year thing for me and I always look forward to spending it with Steve and our hunting buddies. This year was no exception, I was ready to go for weeks before it got here, guns all cleaned, duck decoys ready, just all excited to get going. Its about a six hour drive from Poverty hill to where we were going to hunt, almost on the Arkansas state line. The trip went great with the usual lies being told, and the bragging about who was gonna kill the most ducks, just the regular man thing ya know. We arrived at the hunting camp and slept for about 3 hours before getting up at 3:30 am and eating breakfast and preparing for the first day of the hunt. I felt great even with just the few hours sleep. Sometimes I guess I need a reality check, because I don't seem to want to accept that I just can't do what I want to do, the mind is willing but the body just says "No Way."
The first day was a memory jogger though. We had to wade in waist high water for about a quarter of a mile wearing chest wader boots that weight what feels like a ton, especially when you're wading through mud and water. Well as you could understand I'd walk about 20 or 30 yards before I'd have to stop to rest, out of breath and gasping for air. Finally with Steves help though I made it to the place we were going and we had a great time taking our limit of ducks. The only thing the whole time I was hunting all I was thinking about was how I dreaded the walk back out. With about 20 rest stops though I make it back to the truck but was so tired I couldn't hardly muster enough energy to get up into it without my buddies help. What a dose of reality, and a hard shot to my ego. The next day we hunted in a place where I could just drive my ATV to the spot we were hunting, now this was great. I can do this!!! I was tired from hunting the day before but I felt manly again now, I didn't have to have any help, Hallelujah, but my energy level was bottomed out. On the third day I was short of breath just walking 20 feet, reality had set in, I sat down with Steve and told him that I was afraid that this would be my last duck hunt that I couldn't do it anymore. I explained to him that I wanted to hunt as much as I ever did, but my body just wouldn't allow me to. This in itself was a hard thing for me to do, I felt as though I were disappointing my son, who had always looked up to me as his mentor and hunting buddy. Steven looked at me and smiled and said, Dad you are and always have been an inspiration to me, for you to come out and do the things you have done these past few days is amazing, I just hope I can grow to be the caliber and man that you are.
Not only did I leave hunting camp with my dignity intact, I realized that my youngest son has grown up and is already that caliber of man. Thank You Lord.
Well let me get outta here I've still got chores to do. Yall come when ya can, the door is always open to my friends.

Hugz N Handshakes

TW(Terry)

The Other Side of PHTony's Story

Heyz Everyone, I just read PHTony's Thanksgiving story and laughed so hard I almost cried. But as with every story you know theres usually two sides. Being of Indian heritage I figured it was only right that I tell our side of the story.
"One day a young indian brave, Rowanka(meaning short of breath), was hunting by the big rock, called moon rock, and he looked up and saw the biggest canoe he'd ever seen. It had many sick people hanging over the side that seemed very sick, he supposed that was the reason for their whitish colored skin. They came ashore at Moon Rock and everyone headed for the alderberry bushes, tarnishing Mother Earth with the worst stink He'd ever smelled. Hiding in the bushes Rowanka watched as the sick white people started cutting trees and were muttering in a language he didn't understand, something about a Plymouth Rock or Hard Rock, anyway he didn't understand, he figured they must be blessing Moon Rock where their giant canoe had come ashore.
Rowanka watched the skinny half starved white people with great interest as they talked in their native tongue until four men left the camp. In wonderment Rowanka followed as the four men left going into the woods. He followed as the men went towards his village, wondering what they were up to. He knew today was the day his tribe celebrated the Feast of the Harvest to show their thanks to their Gods for the food they were provided. Just outside the village Rowanka ran up to the men and tried to communicate with them and they just kept trying to stick him with long knives. Finally he got them calmed down and found out they were hungry and needed food. Being a helpful brave he took the men to the village market and gave them some corn, collard greens, turnips and turkeys to take back to the poor starving white people. As they were leaving, being a gracious host, Rowanka told them to come again. Little did he know they were going to bring every darn one of those sick white people to the dance that night. Being a gracious host, the Chief, Squanto and his wife, Pokeehauntus, invited the whole bunch to stay and have dinner and join in the celebration. The tribe medicine man made up some medicine for the sick white people, herbs and spices he called coumadin, viagra and tracleer to mention a few. Finally after almost eating the tribe out of their teepee's the poor sick white people left. The white man chief, John Smith, told Squanto and Rowanka, Thanks for Giving(now called Thanksgiving) them food and they hoped that they could live together in peace. Squanto told him he was most welcome and gave the white chief a fruitcake that his mother-in-law had made for him that was terrible and he was glad to finally get rid of. Thinking the white man would only be in their land for a short period of time the indians taught the white men to grow corn and vegetable from the rich land. The only thing is, THEY NEVER LEFT.
And thats, THE END OF THE STORY.

Thanks Tony for such a great story, keep up the writing. Yall come when ya can the door is always open for my friends.

Hugs N Handshakes

TW(Terry)

The Great Feast

Wavin,,,hey everybody, hope today finds all of ya doing good. Things are going good here on Poverty Hill. Looks like we're in for a cold winter this year, it seems to have started getting cold a lot earlier than it has the past few years. Thats fine though, I've done broke out the long johns and my cold weather wardrobe, you know insulated overalls, thermo socks, all the good stuff.
I'm preparing for the GREAT FEAST, the yearly eating of wonderful stuff that I know I shouldn't be eating.........but hey its just once a year.....grins. I can just smell the aroma of ham cooking in the kitchen, and the turkey, and the dressing.....omg.....my mouth is watering now. I take my preparations for the Thanksgiving feast seriously. I all but quit eating two dayz before, just eating sandwiches and lil snacks so I'll be good and hungry and have lots of room in the old gullet so I can make a pig of myself........laffin. And I do a good job of it!
This is expected of me, I come from a family of great cooks, and each one expects you to eat a belly full of what they cooked or else you'll hurt their feelings. Wellllllllllllllllllllllllll...........I don't hurt anyones feelings.....laffin...I make em all feel good.
Like all families, this is a time for everyone to get together and talk about things that are happening with them and talk about the old days of growing up and the funny things that happened during these times. Mostly just being thankful for this time we have to spend together as a family.
I hope everyone reading this lil blog has a Happy Thanksgiving and a wonderful holiday spending time with their loved ones. One more thing, please take time during your dinner blessing to remember those soldiers overseas that are spending their Thanksgving away from their families.
Well I guess I need to get outta here for now, I just wanted to write a lil note to everyone and wish em a Happy Holiday and hope ya have many more...
Yall come when ya can, the door is always open to my friends.

Hugz N Handshakes

TW

Short PH Story

Hey everyone, glad you could stop by and visit. Seems like everyone is telling their story of contracting PH, so I'm gonna take a shot at it and try to write a short version. My little ordeal with PH started back in 2000 when I was admitted to the hospital with Pneumonia. While in the hospital I started throwing blood clots to my lungs and continued getting worse. After a month in intensive care, lung surgery, and a Greenfield filter, I was diagnosed with a disease called Antiphospholipid Anti body Sydrome and Thrombocytopenia. I was treated for this and released from the hospital after 6 weeks on coumadin to control my blood clotting. Over the next few months I continued getting clots in my legs and seemed to be getting worse, becoming extremely short of breath and fatigued, often passing out. I went to several other doctors and all said that there was nothing that could be done that wasn’t already being done. Finally in 2003 I went to a heart specialist who did an echo and said he thought that I had PH and he made an appointment for me with a PH specialist. After being in Doctor Babar's, my PH specialist, office for 15 minutes he was on the phone with PH Specialist at University of California San Diego (UCSD) and they said for the Dr Babar to run some test and send to them. After the tests were done I was told I definitely had PH and that the blood clots had to be removed from my lungs. A few weeks later we were on our way and I had the surgery 3 days after arriving in San Diego by the worlds best surgery team. After the Pulmonary Thrombo Endardirectomy(PTE) surgery I felt like a new person, with the clots removed from my lungs I could breathe much better and walk longer distances, but was still far from being normal. In the end I was still left with PH due to the damage that the clots had already done to my lungs, heart and arteries. I’m still taking PH medications and have tried several new ones as they come out, but I am alive and I will not give up the fight for a cure for PH, maybe not for me but it could help others down the line that get this terrible disease. As I write this in November 2008, I am able to walk better distances, play with my Grandchildren, work outside and just enjoy my family and what God has given me. I have made new friends through the Pulmonary Hypertension Association that are like family, who I can discuss problems with and share feelings. I feel like even though I have a dreadful disease that seems incurable, I am still a blessed person for being able to spend the time that I have on this earth. To others with this disease, I say, don’t ever give up, there is always hope.
Well theres the short version, hope it wasn't too boring, I'm not one to write much about myself. Anyway I guess I need to get outta here and act like I'm doing something before Miss Judi finds me something to do. Yall come when ya can, the doors always open to my friends.

Hugz N Handshakes

TW(Terry)

Memory Makers

Hey everyone, hope this blog day finds ya doing well. Well its official, we had frost this morning....ughh, that means another dreary winter on the way. All the leaves are falling from the trees, the colors of green are gone, and its time to break out the ole longjohns. This time of the year seems depressing, if I stay inside I'm bored and want to go outside. If I go outside I freeze my buttocks off and my lungs burn from breathing the cold air. After the miserable hot summer we had this year I figured that I'd be happy to see winter come. Laffin I guess there's just no way to please me.
I used to get all anxious and excited when cold weather got here mainly because I love to hunt. My sons and I get up early in the morning wayyyyyyyyy before daylight and have a big breakfast and drink coffee and talk about our plans for the hunt that day. This is a time just for us, time we can spend together and laugh and make fun of each other about that missed shot, or the falling in the creek. Judi calls it Man Time, I call it memory makers. This year we'll be welcoming a new member to the Hunting morning Social Club, my oldest Grandson has come of age to deer hunt. I don't know who's more excited, me or him. I thank God for letting me live to see this. I know to many of you this seems unimportant. Wrong.........these are dayz that my Grandson will have as wonderful memories of for the rest of his life. I remember when my Grandfather first took me hunting, I remember the smell of breakfast cooking, of walking out on the back porch and feeling to cold air, and the excitement the night before the hunt, where I couldn't sleep for thinking about that big ole buck I was gonna get and make my Grandfather and Uncles proud of me. Yep, it may seem insignificant to some but to a man its another big step of growing up. Soon it looks like we're going to be in for another big change though, my oldest Granddaughter wants to get that big un too......LOL. This won't be a man thing, but it will be a step to her independence and of course a delight to Papa Terry. So it won't be a man thing for her but I guarantee it will be a memory maker just the same.
Well I guess I better get outta here, I've done bout used up all my paper and ink. Yall come when ya can, the door is always open to my friends.

TW(Terry)

Poverty Hill's 1st Annual Holiday

Wavin, hey everyone out there, hope yall are doing good. Today has been a rainy, messy day around this neck of the woods. All the leaves around here have been turning beautiful red and orange colors, but with all this rain, now the only thing they are turning is turning loose. Time to break out the old rake and leaf blower, turn up the oxygen and get with it. I can think of a million things I'd rather do than rake leaves.........ughhhhhhh. At least I can put up the lawn mower for a while, it's like me, it needs a good rest anyway.
I've been in deep and heavy deliberation this week with my cabinet members, Levi(my dog)and Jazz(my cat), and we have decided to come up with a new holiday for Poverty Hill. Seeing as how I am the main governing body(when Judi lets me be) here
on the Hill I am declaring November 15, 2008, the first official Pulmonary Hypertension Care Giver Day. I'm sending Miss Judi to the beauty shop to get overhauled, tucked, poked, primped and fancied up and I'm gonna take her out to a fancy restaurant where those folks cook your food for ya. As all of you know just like I do, this could never even come close to thanking them for the things that they do for us. There are no words that an ole country bumkin like me could come up with to tell mine how much I thank her for all the times shes worried if I was going to make it through this hospital stay, for the times she's prepared my meds and made sure I took them on time, for the times she's did things that I used to take care of, but couldn't this time because I was so sick I was unable to do them, and the list goes on and on. I'm sure you're like me, these things don't go unnoticed, but sometimes there just are no words to express how we feel. At times we all feel like a burden, not being able to do the things we used to do, but our loved ones don't see it like that, they stand with us and fight this fight against sometimes unbearable odds but never ask a things for themselves. Yes we fight the fight, but just take a glance around you and I bet there's someone within yelling distance, watching and listening, ready to make sure that nothing happens to you. Like I said there just isn't enuff words in the webster than can show how much we appreciate them. SO:

We Love You, We Thank You, We Appreciate you, We Admire You and we're all glad that you are in our lives.

Take time to let you caregivers know, it's the least we can do for them that do so much for us.

Well all this proclamatin and and holiday declarin has give me out, Yall Come when ya can, the door is always open to my friends, and don't forget this is Pulmonary Hypertension Awareness month, try to make one person aware and together we can make many.

Hugz N Handshakes

TW(Terry)